Door and track assembly



Oct. 31, 1967 M, B 3,350,152

DOOR AND TRACK ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 7. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l NM J 17 j] if //j 1? 511/ 4;

Oct. 31, 1967 M. A. BANG DOOR AND TRACK ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1966 Am a rrzvwyzKs United States Patent 3,350,152 DOOR AND TRA'CK ASSEMBLY Milton A. Bang, Albert Lea, MimL, assignor to King- Seeley Thermos Company, Ann Arbor, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Jan. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 519,390 12 Claims. (Cl. 312323) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A closure assembly for selectively closing an access opening in a cabinet or the like; the assembly comprising a closure door and associated track means for selectively guiding the door for sliding movement between opened and closed positions; the door and associated track means constructed so as to seal the access opening when the door is disposed in its closed position and adapted to prevent foreign matter such as water or the like from passing over the track means and into the access opening when the door is in its open position.

This invention relates generally to closures, and particularly to an improved storage cabinet door and track assembly.

The device of the present invention is particularly adapted for, although not limited to, use on ice storage cabinets. In general, it is required that various contaminating materials including liquids and other foreign matter be prevented from getting into storage cabinets of this type through their access opening and contaminating or otherwise adversely affecting the material stored therein. This is required not only when cabinet closure is in a closed position but also is necessary to some extent when the closure is in an open position. Thus, for example, liquids spilled on the cabinet top or sides near the access opening should not be able to run freely into the cabinet through the access opening but should be directed away therefrom.

Other factors necessitating consideration in the construction of storage cabinet closures arise from the fact that it is imperative that the closure be easily operated throughout extended, frequent and often severe use. The fact that the closures on storage cabinets for ice and other frozen articles are subjected to extreme temperature differences on their inner and outer surfaces further complicates the situation and necessitates a temperature and moisture resistant construction.

Furthermore, and not the least important, a cabinet closure construction of this type should be relatively simple and pleasing in appearance, and the closure should be adapted for easy dismantling for cleaning purposes.

Main objects of the present invention, therefore, are to provide an improved storage cabinet closure including a door and track assembly adapted for easy operation under extreme conditions and wherein foreign matter is prevented from gaining access to the storage cabinet.

The purpose of the above abstract is to provide a nonlegal technical statement of the disclosure of the contents of the instant disclosure and thus serve as a searching scanning tool for scientists, engineers and researchers. Accordingly, this abstract is not intended to be used in understanding or otherwise comprehending the principles of the present invention hereinafter described in detail, nor is it intended to be used in interpreting or in any way limiting the scope or fair meaning of the claims appended hereto.

This invention relates generally to closures and associated guide means for supporting a closure member for sliding movement between open and closed positions.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a new and improved door and track assembly adapted to facilitate movement of a door to and from a position closing an access opening in a cabinet or the like, and for preventing the ingress of any foreign material through the opening when the door is in either its open or closed position.

Further objects include a door and track assembly of the above character which is particularly adapted for use on storage cabinets for ice or other frozen articles wherein the door is adapted to be insulated to prevent heat leakage into the cabinet and is easily operable even under the extreme temperatures imposed thereon.

Additional objects include a door and track assembly of the above character including one which is pleasing in appearance, which facilitates. easy removal of the door, and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction and reliable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a storage cabinet having a closure embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. 1 showing the door of the closure in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the closure positioned for removal;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 4-4 thereof and omitting portions of the cabinet for clarity;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 55 thereof and omitting portions of the cabinet;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the line 6-6 thereof and omitting portions of the cabinet, and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the track which the door travels.

Broadly described, the present invention includes a track mounted on a cabinet and having a first portion adjacent an inclined access opening in said cabinet and a second portion spaced therefrom, and a door freely slidable on said track from a first position overlying and closing said opening to a second position allowing free access to said cabinet interior through said access opening, said track and door constructed to seal said opening when said door is in first position and to prevent foreign matter from getting into said cabinet when said door is in said first and second positions.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1-3, a cabinet for storing ice or other frozen articles is illustrated generally at 11 and is seen to include rectangularly disposed, vertically extending side walls 13 and a generally horizontal top wall 15. An inclined front wall 17 joins three of the side walls 13 and the top wall 15 and is provided with an opening 19 permitting free access to the cabinet interior. A track assembly 21 is secured to the cabinet 11 and has a first portion secured to the inclined front wall 17 adjacent the opening 19 and a second portion underlying the cabinet top wall 15. A door 23 is freely slidably disposed on the track assembly 21 from a closed position overlying and sealing the opening 19 as shown in FIG. 1 to an open and partially concealed position spaced rearwardly from the opening 19 underlying the top wall 15 permitting free access to the cabinet interior as shown in FIG. 2. Each of the cabinet Walls 13, 15, 17 and the door 23 is generally hollow and preferably is filled with a suitable insulating material (not shown) to resist heat leakage into assembly upon the cabinet 11 and consequent melting of the ice or other frozen articles stored therewithin.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6 along with FIGS. 13, the track 21 includes a formed generally rectangular body having a pair of parallel side rails 27, 29 interconnected by a front and a rear portion 31, 33, respectively. The track 21 is secured to the cabinet by suitable screws 35 extending through the track side rails 27, 29 and the front portion 31 and into the adjacent walls of the cabinet 11. In addition, each of the side rails 27, 29 has a lateral flange 37 which closely overlies an adjacent recessed edge 39 in the cabinet inclined front wall 17 as seen best in FIG. to help support the track 21. The track front portion 31 has a lip 41 which overhangs the edge of the cabinet wall adjacent the bottom of the opening 19.

The track side rails 27, 29 extend continuously and rearwardly of the opening 19 and beneath the cabinet top wall 15 and are interconnected at their rearward end by the rear portion 33. The side rails 27, 29 are also interconnected by a top plate 43 which extends over substantially the rearward half of the track 21 and seats against the underside the cabinet top wall 15. Although not so limited, the track 21 including the front and rear portions 31, 33, the side rails 27 29 and the top plate 43 are preferably of one-piece integral construction and are fabricated from any suitable moisture and temperature-resistant metal or plastic.

Each of the side rails 27, 29 is substantially uniform but reversed in cross-section throughout its length. As shown best in FIG. 5, the rail 29 has a raised rib 45 and an adjoining gutter 47 formed between the rib 45 and a generally outer vertical wall 49 on the rail 29. The rail 27 is substantilly identical in construction to the rail 29 but reversed so that it has a rib 51 spaced inwardly toward the center of opening 19 from an outer vertical wall 53 by an adjoining gutter 55. The ribs 45, 51 and the gutters 47, 55 extend continuously from the track front portion 31 substantially to the rear portion 33 to guide the movable door 23 and for other purposes hereinafter described.

The door 23 is of hollow, generally rectangular construction having a top wall 57, a bottom wall 59 and side walls 61, 63. The top wall 57 is curved downwardly at its front edge and has a rearwardly extending flange 65 overlying the bottom wall 59 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. If desired, the flange 65 and the bottom wall 59 can be joined together as by welding or other suitable securing means. The top wall 57 is curved downwardly and then upwardly at its rear end with the rearwardmost edge bent forwardly forming a hook 67. The bottom wall 59 is curved upwardly at its rear end with its rearwardmost edge bent forwardly forming a hook 69 positioned to overlie the hook 67. If desired, these overlying portions can be joined as by welding or by any other suitable attaching means. The door side walls 61, 63 are formed by overlapping flanges 71, 73 integral with the door top and bottorn walls 57, 59, respectively (FIG. 5).

The door bottom wall 59 is recessed at each side edge to receive the tracks 45, 51. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, one side edge of the door bottom wall 59 is bent upwardly forming a generally vertical wall 75 and outwardly forming a generally horizontal Wall 77 which joins with the flange 73. The walls 75, 77 and the flange 73 together form a recess in which the rib 45 is received, the flange 73 riding in the gutter 47. It will be understood that the other side edge of the door bottom wall 59 is similarly formed to receive the rib 51 and ride in the gutter 55. A pair of spaced nylon runners 79 are fixed to each of the horizontal walls 77 at either side of the door bottom wall 59 to engage the ribs 45, 51 and provide smooth sliding movement of the door 23 thereover. In addition, the door bottom wall 59, including the walls 75, 77 and flanges 73 on each side thereof, is concavely curved generally complementary to the portion of the track 21 adjacent the cabinet opening 19 to permit the door 23 to closely engage the track and seal the opening 19 when the 4 door is in the closed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

The front edge of the door 23 is provided with a lip or handle 79 which is secured to the curved front end of the top wall 57 by screws 80 extending through the bottom and top walls 59, 57. The handle 79 extends from side to side of the door 23 and is adapted for easy gripping by the user in manipulating the door. Thus, when it is desired to open the door 23, the user applies rearward or pushing pressure to the front of the handle 79 whereupon the door slides rearwardly on the side rails 27, 29. Conversely, when it is desired to close the door 23, the user applies forward or pulling pressure to the rear of the handle 79 and the door slides forwardly,

The front edge 81 of the cabinet top wall 15 adjacent the opening 19 is rolled downwardly and inwardly forming an overhanging lip, the side edges of which are closely received in notches 82 in the track side rails 27, 29. This causes any liquid or other foreign matter on the cabinet top wall 15 to flow off this top wall onto the door 23. When the door 23 is in the closed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, this liquid or other foreign matter flows down the door 23 to handle 79 and then outwardly to either or both sides of the door. Since each side edge of the the door 23 has a flange 73 positioned in the gutters 47, 55, the liquid or foreign matter is directed into these gutters and then downwardly to the track front portion 31, whereupon it runs freely over the lip 41. Thus, none of this liquid or other foreign matter gets into the cabinet 11 through the opening 19.

When the door 23 is in the open position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, any liquid or foreign matter running off the cabinet top wall 15 toward the opening 19 again is caught by the handle 79 and flows to the sides of the door 23 where it again falls into the gutters 47, 55 and eventually runs over the overhanging lip 41. Again, none of this liquid or foreign matter can get into the cabinet 11 through the opening 19 and the material stored therein such as, for example, ice is kept substantially free therefrom whether the door 23 is opened or closed.

When the door 23 is moved to the closed position as described above, the protruding door hooks 67, 69 engage the rolled lip 81 of the cabinet top wall 15 thereby providing a positive stop for the door 23 in this position. When the door 23 is moved to the open position, the hooks 67, 69 frictionally engage and flex a free end 83 of a spring 85 having its other end 87 underlying the top wall 43 of the track 21 and secured to the track rear portion 33 by a fastener 89. Engagement between the hooks 67, 69 and the spring-free end 83 serves to frictionally hold the door 23 in the open position and permits the door to be closed simply by pulling on the handle 79 sufficiently to overcome this frictional force.

When it is desired to remove the door 23 from the cabinet 11, it is necessary only to move the door to a partially open position as seen in FIG. 2 and in dotdash lines in FIG. 6, lift the door 23 as by applying an upward force at the handle 79 and then pull the door out of the cabinet 11. This lifting action lowers the hooks 67, 69 away from the rolled lip 81 whereupon the door 23 is easily pulled out of the track 21. If desired, the door bottom wall 59 can be flattened as at 91 to engage the ribs 45, 51 and indicate when the door 23 has been lifted sufficiently to permit removal. To reinsert the door 23, the above procedure is reversed. Thus, the hooks 67, 69 are first inserted beneath the rolled lip 81 and the door 23 lowered to seat the runners 79 on the ribs 45, 51.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the door and track assembly of the present invention provides a seal for the cabinet opening 19 without the need for any special latches or locks and prevents liquid or other foreign matter from getting into the cabinet when the door is opened or closed. In addition, this door and track assembly is constructed for easy operation and removal, having a positive stop when in the closed position and being frictionally retained in an open position. Furthermore, the door is, for the most part, concealed when in the open position and the door and track provide a neat, simple and pleasing appearance in all positions.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described above in detail, various additions, substitutions, modifications and omissions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as encompassed by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A door and track assembly for a cabinet comprising a track having a first portion adjacent an opening in said cabinet and a second portion spaced from said opening, a door movable from a first position overlying and closing said opening to a second position allowing free access to said opening, said track including a pair of side rails having means thereon for preventing liquid or other foreign material from passing into said opening, and said door including means along the opposite sides thereof of substantially complementary shape with respect to said side rails and slidably engaged therewith, whereby to permit said door to be slidably moved along said side rails between said first and second positions.

2. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said side rails comprises upwardly projecting rib portions and downwardly recessed gutter portions, and wherein said door includes downwardly projecting flange means disposed within said gutter portions and recessed portions slidably receiving said rib portions, whereby liquid or other foreign matter on said door is directed outwardly of said rib portions and is prevented from getting into said opening when said door is in said first and second positions.

3. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 1 which includes resilient means on said track at said second portion frictionally engaging said door when in said second position.

4. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 1 which includes antifriction means interposed between said door and side rails.

5. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 1 which includes lip means on said cabinet adjacent the top of said opening and flange means on said door engaging said lip means when said door is in said first position.

6. A door and track assembly for a cabinet comprising a generally rectangular track mounted in and secured to said cabinet adjacent an access opening therein, said track comprising a pair of side rail sections disposed along the opposite sides of said opening, a generally closure door freely slidable along said side rail sections from a first position overlying and closing said opening to a second position providing free access to said opening, each of said side rail sections having an upwardly projecting rib portion and a gutter portion extending substantially along the entire length thereof, said door being formed with a pair of recessed portions slidably receiving said rib portions and with flange portions slidably disposed within said gutter portions, said door and said side rail sections cooperating in the area of said recessed and ribportions to direct liquid or other foreign matter on said door to a position outwardly of said rib portions to prevent said liquid or other foreign matter from passing through said opening.

7. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 6 which includes a handle secured to said door adjacent its forward edge extending outwardly of said door and from side to side thereof and remaining within said opening when said door is in said second position.

8. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein said track has a forward end overlying the bottom of said opening, and wherein said rib portions extend substantially throughout the entire length of said side rail sections.

9. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 6 which includes a spring fixed to said track at said portion within said cabinet and having a free portion frictionally engaging said door when in said second position.

10. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 6 which includes a pair of spaced anti-friction runners interposed between said rib portions and said recessed portions.

11. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 6 and including an inturned lip on said cabinet adjacent said opening, and which includes upwardly extending flange means on said door engaging said lip when said door is in said first position.

12. A door and track assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said door and track are free of connectors whereby said door can be raised from said track when in a position intermediate said first and second positions and removed therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 885,364 4/1908 McComb 312-297 1,259,167 3/1918 Ticheli 312-297 1,855,953 4/1932 Friedrich. 1,963,089 6/1934 Henderson 312-296 2,198,436 4/ 1940 Hoffman 312-138 2,793,070 5/1957 Wernig 297-76 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. JAMES T. MCCAL-L, Examiner. 

1. A DOOR AND TRACK ASSEMBLY FOR A CABINET COMPRISING A TRACK HAVING A FIRST PORTION ADJACENT AN OPENING IN SAID CABINET AND A SECOND PORTION SPACED FROM SAID OPENING, A DOOR MOVABLE FROM A FIRST POSITON OVERLYING AND CLOSING SAID OPENING TO A SECOND POSITION ALLOWING FREE ACCESS TO SAID OPENING, SAID TRACK INCLUDING A PAIR OF SIDE RAILS HAVING MEANS THEREON FOR PREVENTING LIQUID OR OTHER FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM PASSING INTO SAID OPENING, AND SAID DOOR INCLUDING MEANS ALONG THE OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF A SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLEMENTARY SHAPED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SIDE RAILS AND SLIDABLY ENGAGED THEREWITH, WHEREBY TO PERMIT SAID DOOR TO BE SLIDABLY MOVED ALONG SAID SIDE RAILS BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS. 